Posts

It’s always fun to spot a celeb wearing the same shirt or sporting the same bag you own. We had the same feeling when watching a good show after work and noticing all of the different products we carry. From prime time television to Reality TV, we have recognized a few of our items as they make an appearance!

During Million Dollar Listing LA

The trendy bowl in the center of the dining table speaks to the lifestyle in Los Angeles. The unique shape and design are really what make this bowl stand out in the crowd!

The Bachelor

The traditional floral print is made young again with the youthful color and twenty-something’s who were vying for Arie’s heart. While the original pattern pre-dates Bekah M. by many decades, floral is hot once again!

Grey’s Anatomy

The bold, clean lines of the gold table lamps add to the overall handsome aesthetic of the show. McDreamy, McSteamy or stunning lamps – which would you choose?

Ever wonder what goes into one of our interior design projects? Curious about what goes on behind the scenes to pull off and put together a whole home before the photographer comes in to capture those picture-perfect vignettes?

While most projects begin the same way, each new installation provides unique challenges and opportunities that keep our designers well engaged and coming back for more! Typically, our talented Design Consultants meet with the client, going over project details and parameters and pull together a storyboard of ideas. Depending on the scope of the project, this process can take a few days, weeks or even months. Once our Design Consultants have picked out the perfect pieces for a project, they generate a Sales Order—utilizing the same process for accessories and case goods alike—and itemize each unique piece to be ordered. Once the Sales Order is generated, we hand it off to our Logistics Coordinators, Sharon and Nancy. These ladies submit orders to each manufacturer individually and track the purchases through to delivery to our local warehouses. Meanwhile, our Design Consultants are busy on-the-ground, coordinating delivery to the project and often times, helping to make other design decisions along the way.

We caught up with David and Kriss from our Naples Team, who shed some light on their recent installs and how they transform paper plans into spectacular spaces. Without further ado, our quick Project Install Q&A!

1. What is the first step to an entire home install?D– Double checking the orders prior to initial install, making sure we have the correct pieces, and that all the dates are organized with everyone involved—this includes the movers, the warehouse, designers and owners of the property.K– The first step for my recent install was to meet with the builder to get his vision, and walk the house to get the feel and flow.

2. How many months of planning are typically required before the installation?D– It depends on the size of the home, but typically four to five months of planning.K– For the 10,000sq ft home I just installed, I began planning about six to eight months prior to the install date.

3. Do you start with the big picture and progress to the smaller details, or pick the elements out all at once?D– The answer depends on whether or not it is a builder or a walk-in customer and what the project entails. For any project, you have to take in to account the ‘look’ the buyer wants, their budget, the layout, and how quickly they want everything. A large install requires a lot of communication and double checking…measurements, dates, style numbers.K– For my recent install, I started with the over all look and then planned the detail down to bars of soap for the powder room and bath sheets for the pool area. Everything that is in the house and in the outside living space—beds, bedding, tables, rugs, art, dishes, pool towels—was picked for the space! I also learned to measure multiple times. Eye-balling does not always work!

4. How many people involved?D– Depending on the size of the project, it varies.K– There are many people involved with the process – I did the product picking with input from everyone that was working on the project and had help pulling together the product quotes and look-book. I met with the builder often to show and get approval, met with his designer that picked counter tops, flooring, paint, lighting, wallpaper – to make sure we were on the same page. There was help from the MN stores in sending fabric cuttings, and from the business office to fine tune the Sales Order and submit to the manufacturers. The install—the final step—really was an all-hands-on-deck effort. It’s helpful to have another set of eyes (and hands) to help when finally staging things up and moving product around the house. Movers, electricians, picture hangers…the numbers really add up!

5. Creative process?D– Determining the look, the style, the layout and the colors. There are quite a few different details not to be overlooked.K– The creative process is the best part – especially when the install is for a ‘spec home.’ The builder has the initial idea or look that he or she is going for and after that, my job is to pull together a couple of options for approval, and then go for it. I present to both the builder and designer the proposed plan, and take in to account their input. The actual install the most creative time for me, as I get to accessorize and stage the whole home before pictures are taken and the house goes on the market for sale. The smallest details make the biggest impact, and I think that those details transform a staging project to a home that buyers can picture themselves living in.

6. How to achieve end result for photographs?D– The lighting and accessories are key to helping achieve the polished end result for photographs.K– The days before photographing, I like to find as many fresh pieces as I can—from flowers to plants and fruit— I love what they can add to the freshness of a space. I love to set the table, leave books open, and games unfinished so it looks like they may have been called it dinner in the middle of what they were doing. My goal with my recent install was to make it feel “homey,” and at 10,000 square feet, it was challenging but very rewarding to see it all come together. I could envision a family living there, and that’s what sells a property to potential buyers.

Each install is as unique as the home itself and that’s what makes it so fun! No project scope is the same which gives our Design Consultants the opportunity to really listen to the client and hone in on what works for the individual space. The challenge of bringing a home to life through furnishings keeps David and Kriss, and our Traditions team, going back for more! To view some of the after install pictures—the beautiful vignettes captured by photographers—head over to our portfolio page.

Were we right in our predictions? Fall High Point Market 2016 was a smashing hit! We definitely noticed quite a few anticipated trends, but also saw an equal number of unexpected!

Texture:
Texture was everywhere—and we mean everywhere: Rugs, pillows, throw blankets, ottomans, sofas and even new, fun fabrics. Magnolia Home, a brand made popular via Joanna Gaines on HGTV’s Fixer Upper, expanded their line to include rugs and pillows with different knots, plushness and textures.

Pantone Color:
The Pantone color of the year, blush, made a soft appearance. The more feminine touch provided a stark contrast to the other, more industrial trends.

Creative Lighting:
The lighting was spectacular and made an impressive statement. The unique fixtures added a touch of elegance, while others added the perfect touch of whimsy.

Classic Traditional:
We noticed a new use of the classic-traditional style in some of the showrooms. Rich, chocolatey leather paired perfectly with accessorized bookshelves this market. The warm colors and traditional fixtures provided a sense of comfort, yet in a more clean and tailored way.

High Performance Fabrics (or lack thereof):
One trend we were hoping to see was use of high performance and outdoor fabrics in different applications, but we did not. In fact, these fabrics were noticeably absent in each showroom. The standard Cryptons and Sunbrellas were shown, but there weren’t nearly as many new introductions as we expected.

One of our absolute favorite parts of Market is soaking in the gorgeous florals that the vendors bring in to perfectly stage their showrooms. We are suckers for fresh blooms and we certainly got our fill this time around.

We are so excited to share all of our market buys with you as they arrive at our showrooms. Stay up to date with us by stopping in and from home via our social media!

At Traditions, we are constantly drawn to items with a unique and updated spin on what was once deemed classic traditional. As we get closer to the Fall High Point Market, we are excited to see how the latest trends translate into the furniture world and what the latest inspiration is!

What’s Trending Now:

Earthy pastel hues with an organic flair are all the rage as they incorporate the Pantone color of the year. We foresee more of this look, as it provides a tailored, clean aesthetic appealing to all!

Mixed metals are another trend that is super prevalent. We anticipate a mix of brass, gold, polished nickel and silver, freshened up with white plaster.

Mid-century Modern is still very popular. We expect all the burled wood and contemporary materials we saw last year for a continued vintage made modern.

Fool-proof fabrics have been a favorite, but are quickly becoming our absolute go-to. Crypton and Sunbrella fabrics now come in fun patterns, but only a few vendors currently offer them. We hope to see many vendors jump on this popular bandwagon we are sure (and wishing) is here to stay!5. Updated florals are also something to note. Notable decor leaders believe we are transitioning into a cleaner, more modern floral to update our classic traditional so florals can be transitional and appeal to a wider array of customers. We are all for a more modern take on traditional!

Showrooms we’re excited to see in High Point:

Four Hands

Sarreid

Lee Industries

Stanford

Currey & Co.

Taylor King

Stay tuned to see what new treasures we found and what surprises totally won us over at the High Point Market in the coming weeks!